A present of my friend, this olive tree has a double trunk.(Nebari: 7-8 cm dia., each trunk has a dia of 3 cm, height: 20 cm)

However, I am not sure to go for twin trunk style as the trunk on left hand side is FORMAL, but the trunk on right hand side is INFORMAL (S shaped).So, this material does not seem good for twin trunk style in this concern!

So I should choose one of these trunks to go on, and I want to work on S shaped (INFORMAL) trunk.However, this trunk has a deep cut/damage at mid point (see last 2 pics).

And now it seems that I have to choose the trunk that has FORMAL form (even I do not want to choose this one).I will really appreciate your comments and suggestions!

Thank you for your comment.I know I should shorten one of them for twin trunk, however my main problem is that left trunk is like a capital "I" and right trunk is just like a capital "S" (disharmony) Also right trunk (S) has a big and deep cut (at mid point) which may cause tree to die in the future.So, in case, I shorten this trunk then form will be "I" + inverse "c"

SakakiActually there were two trunks and three almost equal apexes. In this photo look at the top and you can see where I cut the center one then hollowed it out.[img][/img]

In this one there was a secondary trunk that was cut and hollowed out close to the about 1/3 rd of the way up.[img][/img]

I am sorry I am posting from my phone and cannot make these images larger.

In your case you will first of all decide how tall your finished tree will be. Then work your way down. I would take all the ones you cannot bend with wire, or if they are to straight or to thick. Remember the higher in the tree the thinner the branches should be. You can carve out or hollow out all large cuts to add interest and the look of age.

This was the first styling of this tree, there is much more to come in developing it. All I wanted to do was the set the basic skeleton of the tree. In my tree you cannot see it has a killer nabari and surface roots. The root pad is only 1 - 1/2" deep so it will go into a much shallower pot. The trunk is about 3" in dia. And is in a 19" pot now

I just closely examined the informal trunk and saw that there is a deep crack down to the nebari What's worse: buds/sprouts along edges of this crack are too weak (less developed) compared to the other sprouts on same trunk and other trunk (see first picture) It is clear that these buds cannot take the energy well.I have doubt that these buds/sprouts along the crack may die in future. So, I may lose 2/3 of trunk periphery soon I've just re-examined your tree and saw that this is not the case in your tree!I am sitting on egg

TannerGive it some time, olives are known for recovering from damage. On mine there is one heavy branch mid way that I V notched on the bottom and bent it down, I noticed that some cambien sliped. I tought it was a gonner but it has recovered and is budding. Let some branches grow out a bit then start a rigorous regiment of terminal buds removal. It will bud every where there is a live vien.